Bacon garlic mashed potatoes are made from scratch using simple ingredients and are ready in about 30 minutes! Creamy mashed potatoes are filled with crunchy bacon and garlic infused butter.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Creamy mashed potatoes are filled with crunchy chopped bacon and garlic infused butter.
Key ingredients: Yukon gold potatoes, butter, fresh garlic, and cooked bacon.
Serves: 4 people (recipe is easy to double or triple for holidays)
Similar to: Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Loaded Baked Potatoes
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Potatoes - I used yukon gold potatoes (shown above), but russet potatoes are also a great choice. Be careful when mashing russet potatoes. They can easily become gummy if overworked.
- Butter - Unsalted butter works best because the cooked bacon adds a significant amount of salt to the finished potatoes. Additional salt can always be added before serving.
- Garlic - Fresh minced garlic cloves add the best garlic flavor to your mashed potatoes. If you need to substitute, use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder instead. Jarred minced garlic has a sharp, pungent flavor compared to fresh garlic or garlic powder, so I never recommend using it.
- Milk - Whole milk works best for a creamy, rich consistency. Almost any dairy you have on hand, like 1%, skim, heavy cream, buttermilk, or sour cream will work in a pinch. Unflavored almond milk and soy milk are great dairy-free alternatives.
- Bacon - Fresh cooked and chopped bacon adds the best flavor, but can be substituted with about ¼ cup of bacon bits.
- Salt & pepper - Taste your potatoes before adding seasoning. The bacon is salty on its own and you may not need any additional salt added to the recipe.
Making bacon garlic mashed potatoes
- Bring peeled and quartered potatoes to a boil in salted water. Boil for 15-20 or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain into a colander and set aside.
- Saute garlic in melted butter until it begins to brown. Remove pan from heat and add milk. Stir together to warm it up.
- Add cooked potatoes back to pan and mash together, mixing garlic butter, milk, and potatoes together. Mash until desired consistency is reached.
- Stir in chopped bacon and pepper. Add salt to taste.
Tips and tricks
Preventing lumpy potatoes - Undercooked potatoes create lumpy mashed potatoes. Start your potatoes in cold water, cut potatoes to the same size, and ensure your potatoes are fork tender before removing from the heat.
Use a handheld masher - I like to use a handheld wire masher for mashing potatoes because it gives you maximum control over your potato consistency. It's also more difficult to overmix and create a gluey consistency.
How to fix lumpy potatoes - Potatoes turn out lumpy anyway? Don't keep mashing and mashing. This creates a gummy consistency. Instead, use a potato ricer or fine mesh sieve to push your potatoes through and remove the lumps.
Frequently asked questions
Yukon gold potatoes are my favorite potato to keep on hand for mashing. They fall right in the middle of the spectrum between starchy and waxy, making them a great potato for just about any application. While russet potatoes are great for baking, they can break down and become gummy when mashed. Waxy potatoes are great for roasting because they hold their shape well after cooking, but don't mash well.
Mashed potatoes turn out gluey or gummy from mashing too much. As you mash your potatoes, they release starches. Too much mashing and stirring can create a gluey texture. This happens especially when using starchy potatoes like russets.
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📖 Recipe
Bacon Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yukon gold potatoes
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup milk
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt, optional
Instructions
- Peel and quarter potatoes to the same size. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water and a dash of salt. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil.
- Reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork. Drain into a colander.
- Return empty pan to stove and over medium heat, add butter. Once melted, add garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until garlic begins to lightly brown. Remove from heat.
- Add milk to pan and allow it to warm up for a moment.
- Add potatoes back to pan. Using a potato masher, slowly mash potatoes and butter mixture together until incorporated and no lumps remain (be sure not to overmix, this causes potatoes to become gluey). Add more milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Stir in chopped bacon and pepper. Taste potatoes and optionally add salt to taste.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes are an excellent potato for mashing. Russet potatoes will also work, but can easily be overworked and become gluey if overmixed.
- For creamier potatoes: For a richer, creamier texture, substitute milk with heavy cream.
- Storage: Leftover potatoes will keep for 3 to 5 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and reheat well.
I think I could eat this every single day for the rest of my life. I mean, seriously... BACON GARLIC AND POTATOES?? Love!
Yes me too!! Nothing better than bacon and potatoes 🙂